# Towed vs Instant Checkmate

The clearest difference is price: Instant Checkmate at Free against Towed's $1.99. Instant Checkmate also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 6 months) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.6). Towed's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 7). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Instant Checkmate is free to download; Towed costs $1.99 up front. Instant Checkmate sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Towed asks for nothing beyond the download.

Towed ships an update every 6 months, Instant Checkmate every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 4, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Towed | Instant Checkmate |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $1.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | — | **[4.7 (1.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/instant-checkmate/id1349460274/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **1.3K** |
| Positive reviews | — | 53.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | — | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 1 MB | 45 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Paul T Cottey](https://appshunter.io/developer/448070614) | [Pubrec, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1634884593) |

## What reviewers say

### Towed

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/towed/id659764886)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Instant Checkmate

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/instant-checkmate/id1349460274)

Investigate addresses to uncover neighborhood details like potential residents, crime rates, and ownership history. This tool helps you learn about your surroundings before you move or for general safety awareness.

**Highlights:** Reverse address lookup, Neighbor identification, Neighborhood crime statistics, Census data, Ownership history

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlimited Email Reports | $2.99 | per month |
| Unlimited Phone Reports | $4.99 | per month |
| Unlimited Premium Reports | $34.99 | per month |
| Unlimited Premium Reports | $34.99 | per month |
| All Inclusive Reports | $34.99 | per month |
| All Inclusive Reports | $37.99 | per month |
| Unlimited Premium Reports | $67.99 | per 3 months |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great app
- 🚀 Easy to use and informative
- 💡 Helpful for finding people's contact info

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inaccurate or outdated information
- 💰 Expensive subscription
- 🔒 Privacy concerns with sharing personal details
- 🤯 Confusing or misleading features

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes or freezes
- Subscription issues and billing problems
- Search results not loading properly

**Requested features**

- Option to do one-time checks without subscription
- Improved data accuracy and reliability
- Better customer support and refund policies


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Towed free?

Towed costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Instant Checkmate free?

Instant Checkmate is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do Towed or Instant Checkmate have ads?

Neither Towed nor Instant Checkmate shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Towed or Instant Checkmate?

Towed ships an update every 6 months, and Instant Checkmate every 3 weeks. Most recently, Towed was updated on October 4, 2026 and Instant Checkmate on October 21, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*